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Harlan John Will passed away while living at Methodist Manor in Storm Lake on Aug. 20, 2025, three days after his 90th birthday.
Funeral services will take place Monday, Aug. 25, at 10:30 a.m. at Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake. Burial will be in Newell Cemetery. Visitation will take place Sunday, Aug. 24, from 5-6:30 p.m. at Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm lake. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Newell Pool Fund.
Harlan was born Aug. 17, 1935, on a farm near Everly to Fritz (Fred) and Berniece Jurgensen Will. Harlan was one of five children and he attended country school near Everly.
Harlan married RuthAnn Otten on April 6, 1957, and together they had two children, Darvin Dean and Danita Dawn. Harlan and RuthAnn made their home in Spencer and then moved to Newell in the fall of 1962, and there Harlan remained a resident until moving to Storm Lake in 2019.
Harlan worked at Newell Cooperative Elevator for 36 years. He drove feed trucks, ran the elevator, maintained the equipment and worked in the agronomy department. Harlan had been asked to move into the office and take a desk job but that was the one thing he never wanted to do. Harlan was a handyman, there wasn’t much he couldn’t fix or do. He remodeled houses, built trailers and cut wood to burn in his wood burner. He had a basement and garage full of tools or most parts you might need to fix something. If he didn’t have the part he could fabricate one.
After Harlan retired, a typical day for him would be to go out to the gas station for coffee with the coffee group. He then would take his walk around Newell and make his daily visits to the Coop office, post office, the bank or any business open. Harlan attended so many town council meetings that the council decided to name a street after him, Harlan Avenue. He was a great guy who loved to stay busy, visit with everyone and tease people. He enjoyed his yearly fishing trip to Lake of the Woods. Harlan was a member of First Congregational Church, UCC in Newell.
Harlan is survived by his children: Darvin Will (Becky) of Newburgh, Ind.; and Danita Schnell (Michael) of Newell; grandchildren: Jacob Schnell (Nichole and great-grandchildren, Everlee and Colsen of Waukee); and Halley Hawkins (Chris and great-grandchildren, Hayden, Cruz and Laiken of Kearney, Mo.), siblings: Marnie (Pat) Will of Mankato, Minn.; and Juilliene Hewitt of Rio Rico, Ariz.; sisters-in-law: Joan Will of Michigan, Carolyn Grothe of Sutherland, Janice Nissan of Lake Park and Elaine Weir of Spencer; and many nieces and nephews.
Harlan wass preceded in death by his wife RuthAnn; parents, Fred and Berniece; parents-in-law, Omer and Marjorie Otten; brothers, Stanley and Rodean; and brothers-in-law, Paul Grothe and Rich Nissan.
